Decision to move from Minsk the Ice Hockey World Championship will be taken in autumn

18 марта 2012, 14:35

IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation will decide on the possible move of 2014 Ice Hockey World Championship from Belarus at its autumn session in Japan.

This was stated by Vice-President of the IIHF Kalervo Kummola to the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.

"IIHF has been addressed by various parties in connection with the Belarusian issue and that's why this issue is currently tabled for discussion to directors of the Federation", Kummola said.

To deprive Belarus the right to host the tournament was offered by the United States. This proposal is contained in the draft resolution by the European Parliament, the voting will be held in late March.

According to the hockey official in the IIHF they didn't want to mix politics with sport.

"However, those who want to move the tournament from Belarus, do exactly this. All we want to do is open the door for the country", the vice-president of the federation told.

Kummola added, that in 2009, when Belarus gained the right to host the tournament, the situation was similar, but then "there was no opposition politicians under arrest".

Finnish newspaper reminds, that the World Ice Hockey Championship was moved only once. After the Soviet Union had invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968, in the spring of 1969 the tournament was played in Stockholm, but not in Prague.